NEWS ITEMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 715, 10 January 1903, Page 3

NEWS ITEMS.

The present season in Manawatu, as regards farming operations, promises to be phenomenally satisfactory, notwithstanding the severe winter, cold autumn, and late spring. The offico of tho Cromwell Argus was broken into some days ago. Tho proprietor of tho Argus avers that appearances lead to tho belief that something other than burglary promptod tho act —which sounds like an admission.

Tho Wairarapa Times thus gives vent to its indignation :—“ It is a pity to see the public money fooled away over 1 burned papa,’ instead of being expended upon cheap, economical and durable light lines. In enterprise of this kind New Zealand is fully a quarter of a century behind Europe, America, India, and Tasmania, and our brave rulers ought really to be put in a dime museum as valuable antiquities.” Notwithstanding these violent comments, there are some parts of this district where roads would be considered a boon.

The Liberals of Masterton are organising a large party picnic to be hold on Anniversary Day, 22nd inst., when they will make a presentation to Mr A. W. Hogg, M.H.R., in recognition of bis reelection and his services to tho constituency. Tho European committee is being assisted by a strong Maori committee, which desires at the same Jtime to make a presentation of a greenstone mere to Mr Seddon and a mat to Mr Hogg. It has also been arranged that the poi and haka dancers who took part in the Royal visit fetes at Rotorua shall give a programme of Maori dancing. It is hoped that a number of Ministers will be present.

Wairoa’s harbor troubles are voiced in the following paragraph in tho Guardian : —With reference to some remarks in a recent issue to the effect that steps should be taken to put on another boat while the Tangaroa was blocked in the river, Capt. Davidson writes : " I agree with you that a craft should have been engagod to take up the running during the blooking of the Tangaroa, but I can assure you that for eight days Leased my utmost endeavours to get a substitute, even tho Result or Fairy, and failed utterly, finally, as a favor I was promised the Ahuriri for one trip, leaying on Friday night, and wired you to that effect. As you are aware the Tangaroa got out on Friday morningr I am about building a small Tangaroa for river —and outside work when necessary—and same difficulty will not crop up again.” df-

A statement in the Otago Daily Times, that " the progressive demoralisation of j the publican and the public-house, is to be ascribed mainly to the Prohibitionists,” has aroused the indignation of the Rev. F. 'T W. Isitt, who writes strongly denying that there has been any such demoralisation. “On tho contrary, if you will receive it, I Jjj' will submit to you in duo course tho evidence of many hundreds of reputablo witnesses that the average publican of thirty, of twenty, and even of ten years since, was moro flagrantly and openly lawless < than is the publican of to-day. Name of __ places and of witnesses shall be submitted to you, with certain safeguards, and in strict confidence. The faots you may deal t with as you please.” To this “ Civis ” re- j plies that he will dispense with the proof and the witnesses ; on suoh a question the word of Mr Isitt is itself sufficient. He adds 11 And I must express my high cr{ gratification at receiving an assurance so satisfactory from a quarter so unexpected.” A cablegram montions that some Victorian railways aro to be dosed down. “ For several months past,” observed Mr N Bent, Ministei of Railways, to a pressman, X " I havo been considering whether it is tIJ possible to make somo of the fines which at present are non-paying return sufficient revenue to pay for working expenses. I havo before me a list of lines do not pay even the working, muoh less interest on capital expended. The total loss to the country on these fines is £172,000 1 a year. Take as an instance the line from Avoca to Ararat. The total revenue for the lash financial year was £1714. Tbe maintenance charges alone amounted to no less than £2166 1 Tbe traffic expenses were £620, and the locomotive expenses £966, making a total expenditure of £3761. I have oalled for a return showing tbe number of men employed in the maintenance of these non-paying lines. It is absurd that we should be paying high wages to men for keeping in order a line that is merely a burden upon tbe people of tho State. As a result of my enquiries, I have decided to call for tenders for the - maintenance of each of these lines. I I propose also to put women in charge of somo of the stations instead of men. In many instances I find now that a woman

does the work better than a man drawing £l5O or £2OO a year.” v Under the beading “An Interfering Ass ’’ Christchurch Truth states : “Major” Taylor has the distinction of being the first evangelical cyclist ever unearthed. He has delivered some excellent advice in a Sydney church concerning the way of . righteousness, but wc are more concerned w?th his views on Sunday cycling and Sunday sport generally. There is every reason to believe that the coloured champion is auite sincere in his condemnation of the praotice, and he deserves commendation therefore. But surely there is something a little paradoxical in the situation. Sports promoters and the governing bodies of various forms of sport will tell you that their one aim, to which' they devote the full power of their vast and noble brains is chiefly the purification of “port and the uplifting of the race. Cycling clubs seek to achieve this lofty end by desecrating overy possible holy day, and by encourag- | ipg the public to come and yell on Good Friday at the speed of the sacro' 1 -’

whirl round on "• .-.gists who Ch*;-*- - wueois, and to bet on .crinas as to which sacreligist is the fastest, and otherwise to show their appreciation of tho excellent taste and reverence for holy things that are denoted by thoir gatherings. So that “ Major ” Taylor must be an interfering ass to seek to decry theso praiseworthy works of the guardians of the purity of sport. They should disqualify him, and probably would if they did not want to deprive tbe public of seeing his wonderful riding—and incidentally add a few bawbees to their fund to enable them to continue purifying their chosen pastime.